In a recent visit to Anegada, the Governor His Excellency John Rankin accompanied by Deputy Commissioner of Police Amory and members of the BVI Airports Authority inspected the airport and assessed the wreckage of a plane that was destroyed by fire following an unauthorized landing in the early hours of Wednesday, September 20th.
This incident came just weeks after a significant drug seizure on the island. On September 1st, the RVIPF gave confirmation that it had seized more than 800 kilograms of cocaine and a Cessna aircraft which reportedly transported that shipment of illicit drugs to the island.
While little information is available surrounding the circumstances by which last week’s aircraft landed in Anegada and became engulfed in flames, traffickers have been known to practice burning planes used for transporting illicit substances as a tactic to evade law enforcement and destroy evidence.
During his visit, the Governor expressed concern over the misuse of Auguste George Airport for illegal drug transportation.
He emphasized the urgent need to enhance security measures at the airport to combat drug trafficking. The Governor pledged to collaborate with the National Security Council, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), and the Airports Authority to address this issue effectively.
The Governor acknowledged that while there has been an encouraging increase in drug and gun seizures, he remains deeply worried about the scale of the problem.